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174 killed in Israeli aggression on Gaza, Palestinian resistance strikes Tel Aviv As Arab, international calls for halt to fighting continues, UN Security Council to discuss issue under China's chair
A total of 26 Palestinians have been killed and dozens wounded, early on Sunday, during a series of raids by Israeli forces on the besieged Gaza Strip. The attacks came as Palestinian resistance movements launched a new batch of missiles aimed at several Israeli settlements. According to Palestinian health authorities, the number of those killed in the continuous Israeli bombardment on the Gaza Strip rose to 174, including 47 children and 29 women, while the number of injured exceeded 1,200. Egypt opened the Rafah border crossing to allow for the Palestinian injured to be treated at Egyptian hospitals in Sinai. Early on Sunday, Israeli warplanes launched dozens of unprecedented air raids on civilian targets in Gaza, including homes and streets leading to hospitals in various areas of the Gaza Strip. Another Israeli raid targeted the National Security headquarters in Gaza on the Egyptian border with the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have stated that they targeted the Khan Yunis home of Mohammed Al-Sinwar, a leader in the Izz Ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas. Meanwhile, the Palestinian resistance movements launched a barrage of missiles towards Tel Aviv and its environs, alongside other cities such as Ashdod and other areas. The Palestinian response also targeted the settlements of Rishon Lezion, Herzliya, and Ptah Tikva in the suburbs of Tel Aviv, expanding the target area to reach Hasharon, north of Tel Aviv. Israeli media reported that 10 Israelis were wounded while fleeing to shelters escaping from the Palestinian resistance's missiles. Also on Sunday, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) held an emergency virtual meeting of its Executive Committee at the level of foreign ministers, to address the Israeli aggression on Palestinians and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The meeting came at the invitation of Saudi Arabia, and was chaired by the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud. During the meeting, the Saudi minister condemned Israel's "flagrant violations" of Palestinian rights. He called on the international community to carry out its responsibility towards ending the Israeli attacks immediately and to revive peace negotiations based on a two-state solution. "We declare our total rejection of the provocative Israeli measures in East Jerusalem, and call on the international community to take urgent action to stop the military operations immediately," he said. The UN Security Council is expected to hold an urgent session on Sunday, where it is also expected to discuss the latest updates in the occupied Palestinian territories. The Chinese delegation, who will preside over the session, invited the council to speak with one voice and work for an immediate ceasefire, an end to violence, and the protection of civilians. Moreover, China's Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi blamed the US for the council's lack of action so far. "Regrettably, the council has so far failed to reach an agreement, with the United States standing on the opposite side of international justice," Wang said, the Xinhua news agency reported Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministers of European Union (EU) countries will hold an urgent virtual meeting, on Tuesday, to discuss the latest updates in the occupied Palestinian territories, according to Josep Borrell the EU foreign policy chief. "In view of the ongoing escalation between Israel and Palestine and the unacceptable number of civilian casualties, I am convening an extraordinary VTC of the EU Foreign Ministers on Tuesday," Borrell wrote on Twitter on Sunday, "We will coordinate and discuss how the EU can best contribute to end the current violence." Furthermore, Pope Francis called for an end to the unacceptable killing of so many innocent people, including children, in the "conflict" between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza.
